The following story is about a young boy who understands the meaning of nosei b’ol chaveiro – “shouldering the burden of a fellow Jew.” What is truly inspiring is how this boy did what he did and who he did it for.
A number of years ago, a chasidishe boy was born with a birth defect known as spina bifida. Spina bifida is a defect that occurs when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not form properly. It may cause minimal symptoms or only minor disabilities; however, if it is severe, it can sometimes lead to more significant physical disabilities. In this boy’s unique situation, his ailment allowed him to qualify for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To those who are unfamiliar, the purpose of this wonderful organization is to grant the wishes of children with serious medical conditions, in order to bring them a measure of hope, strength, and joy. They literally are dedicated to making every eligible child’s wish come true.
The creation of Make-A-Wish was inspired in the US in 1980 by the fulfillment of a wish of a seven-year-old boy with leukemia who wished to be a policeman. His mother, several friends, and a group of police officers, with the cooperation of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, granted his wish with a custom-made uniform, helmet, badge, and helicopter ride! After the wish, those involved were inspired and eager to bring that same hope, strength, and joy to more children. Their simple idea has led to the continued growth of the world’s largest wish-granting organization, now in nearly 50 countries.
When the young chasidishe boy was asked what he wished for, he gave a startling answer: He wanted to meet President Donald Trump! He wanted the President himself to come and speak to him in person! He told the foundation members that, rather than bringing him movie stars or ballplayers (which he knew nothing of anyway) to cheer him up, like many other kids wish for, he wanted them to bring him the President himself! Why not? This was his wish!
Well, the organizers were at a loss. Of course, they promise to grant each child’s wish, but this was one wish that was out of their reach. How would they get the President to come specifically to meet this boy? They had clout – but not that much clout! They explained this dilemma to the boy and hoped he would change his mind. To his credit, the boy thought long and hard before he asked them a question. “Okay, well if you can’t bring President Trump here, can you at least take my letter and put it on President Trump’s desk? I want him to personally read my letter – this is how you can grant my wish!”
Now, this was something they could do! They had connections in Washington, DC, and they were confident they could get this done. They agreed to his wish and the boy was satisfied. Straining a bit, he sat up in his bed, and with great emotion, began scribbling on a piece of paper. It was a short note that read:
“Dear Mr. President, G-d has put you in the place you are in and I believe that the reason is to help the Jewish people and specifically to help one Jew sitting in jail, whom I pray for every day. For my sake, please pardon Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin.
[chasidishe boy]
The Make-A-Wish Foundation kept their word. The letter was brought to Washington and, although it took a few extra days, it finally arrived in the Oval Office and landed on the President’s desk on December 17, 2017, the fifth day of Chanukah. Mr. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was in the Oval Office at the time, and she watched her father reading the letter. She later told Professor Alan Dershowitz, the famed defense lawyer and Harvard Law School professor emeritus, that when her father read the little boy’s letter, he became emotional. He turned to her and said, “Look at this Jewish kid. The kid could have asked for anything from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That’s what they do. Think about it. Any other kid – who would they ask for? A celebrity, a pop-star, a ballplayer? But no. Not this kid. He wanted me. But he didn’t want me for me. He wanted me because he believes I am here on a mission – and I am not going to let this kid down.”
On December 20, the eighth and final day of Chanukah, the Jewish world rejoiced in the news that President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, and he walked out of prison that day, a free man! It is hard to say if the young boy’s letter was the deciding factor for Mr. Trump, but it is definitely clear to any thinking and caring individual that when a sick boy makes such a selfless request, Hashem looks down from Heaven and shines His benevolent grace on His pure and holy children!
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
